Trying To Trust The Process

There are so many things I want to do before I die. And it’s hard to be patient. But I’m trying to trust the process.

I think I overthink. No, I know I do. I make everything more complicated than it needs to be, which is exhausting.

I’ll do better. I will do my best.

I can’t be anyone else. I can only be myself. Sometimes I feel like an imposter. Who am I to write, to create?

I tend to elevate others and downplay my own abilities. So in my mind, everyone is better than me. On bad days, I wonder why even try if I’ll never be good enough? Why bother in the first place?

Life is too short. I used to be afraid of dying. But right now, I’m scared I’m not living up to my full potential. I need to face my own fears. It’s fine to fail. To be ignored or rejected.

I wish I didn’t take things too personally. I should grow a thicker layer of skin.

I don’t have any major regrets though. I wouldn’t change my choices. Still, I’ll continue to grow. I want to focus on improving myself.

It’s not always how you start but how you finish, right?

On Finding Your Voice

You have a voice, one that’s unique and special. If you think you haven’t found yours yet, don’t worry. Put up missing signs. Ask everyone to return your voice to you if they see it around the neighbourhood.

I would like to find mine. It seems as though I’ve lost her. I’m not sure she wants to be returned to her original owner, however.

Feeling lost is perfectly normal. You can’t find what isn’t lost, right?

Seriously, you’ll come into your own soon enough.

Finding and developing your voice takes time. Years even. 

When you first start, you might find yourself impersonating other writers. I know I did. That’s part of the process.

But don’t ever beat yourself down because you can’t write like someone else. You aren’t anyone else. You are your own person with your own voice.

Your voice is special. Treat it that way. You deserve to.

You will change. Your voice won’t stay the same. If it does, we might have a problem.

Promise me you won’t force yourself to write like your friend or favourite author. Pinky promise.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is to stop forcing the issue. Allow yourself to grow as a writer. Naturally.

We’ve reached that part of the post where I give tips on the process of finding your voice.
Bad advice incoming.

Write a lot.

Reading is great and all, but you need to put your own words down on paper too.

Be patient.

Finding your voice doesn’t happen overnight, especially not while you’re sleeping. Trust the process and enjoy the journey.

Analyze your stories.

Maybe you’ll find a common pattern. Do you start your novels a certain way? Do you frame your poems in a similar manner?

Emulate others.

Why on earth would you echo another person’s voice when you want to find yours? Because you’ll realize there are things you just can’t emulate, no matter how hard you try. Besides, if you can’t pinpoint what your voice is exactly, at least you’ll know what your voice isn’t. That’s a start.

Tell stories aloud.

Writing and talking are similar. Storytelling requires a voice, regardless of the form it takes. So grab a friend or talk to yourself. You might stumble across a new discovery about yourself as a storyteller.

Happy voice finding!

Late Night Writing Advice

It isn’t that late right now.

And this isn’t exactly writing advice so much as it is life advice.

But just go with it. Appease me, please.

Don’t take criticism to heart but take it to your mind. Filter the useful from the useless. Analyze the feedback. Tame your large ego if you have one like me so you can improve without feeling like the world is conspiring against you.

Focus on the process, the journey rather than obsess over the final product or result. Do that and you’ll drown in happiness. Contentment.

You’re going to write a lot of bad stuff before you can write something good. I stare at a sticky note that says “failure is preparation for success” every day.

I hope I’m still making sense.